1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to motor vehicle fluid exchange systems, specifically to a readily portable system and method for the safe, orderly, and efficient recovery of fluid drained from a motor vehicle, including drained fluid that is hot, such as the hot gear lube drained from the quick-change rear end of a race vehicle prior to ratio gear exchange, and the prompt, safe and efficient return of the recovered fluid to the source from which it was drained, when it is still serviceable, to prevent waste and unnecessary environmental burden. The present invention system is made from solid heavy-duty construction, however, it is compact in size and configuration to permit easy one-handed transport. It has an elevated collection pan with a large surface area for spill-free fluid collection, which can also be used to temporarily store hot messy gear-lube-covered gears removed from a quick-change rear end. Through use of the present invention, the same quantity of hot gear lube present in the quick-change rear end of a race vehicle can be safely, orderly, and repeatedly collected during a series of trackside ratio gear exchanges performed in a track testing, pre-race practice, or qualifying session, and then, when still serviceable, can be promptly, orderly, efficiently, and safely returned to the quick-change rear end for reuse. Thus, the present invention provides race crews with a safe and convenient alternative to the former wasteful and environmentally adverse practice of discarding still serviceable gear lube and replacing it with new gear lube each time the ratio gears in the quick-change rear end of a race vehicle were exchanged. The preferred embodiment of the present invention has a low profile dual-chambered reservoir with large easily gripped handles attached thereto, one of the chambers being a smaller pre-charged air chamber and the other being a larger fluid chamber separated from the air chamber by a flexible baffle. The fluid chamber provides temporary fluid containment during which the recovered fluid is protected from airborne contaminants and fire hazard, features important for trackside use. The fluid chamber has a female threaded discharge opening in a position remote from the baffle, to which the male threaded end of a flexible flame-resistant discharge hose is connected during fluid recovery use. The fluid collection pan is connected to the reservoir through the upper surface of the fluid chamber, and a valve is positioned between the upper collection pan and the fluid chamber to selectively allow fluid communication therebetween. As a result, fluid drained into the collection pan can be gravity-fed into the fluid chamber for storage and subsequent dispensing through the discharge hose. The present invention further comprises a securely-fitting but easily installed and removed collection pan cover for use in keeping inside surfaces of the collection pan protected from airborne debris when the collection pan is used to store gears and during periods of non-use. In the preferred embodiment the collection pan is separable from the reservoir for compact storage of the system between uses. Although primarily contemplated for racing applications to assist gear exchange in the quick-change rear end of a race vehicle, the present invention system can also be employed for the neat and orderly recovery, and safe temporary storage, of other flammable and non-flammable fluid prior to its reuse or discard, particularly fluid that would have an adverse environmental impact if spilled or improperly discarded.
2. Description of Prior Art
The gears in a motor vehicle transmission adapt available engine power to meet the changing conditions of the road and provide optimum torque for a given engine speed. Smaller gears provide more torque at lower speeds and allow a vehicle to start moving or drive uphill. Larger gears provide less torque at higher speeds and allow the vehicle to run more efficiently at high speeds on level ground. Typically, personal vehicles use a standard set of gears throughout the life of the vehicle for all driving conditions, and gear lube is exchanged only when it is no longer considered serviceable. In contrast, race crews may change-out gears in a race vehicle multiple times before a race in response to track testing and qualifying sessions conducted to determine peak vehicle performance. Further, to increase the dependability of the transmission and enhance the opportunity for a win, race crews often will install new gears prior to a race. In order to perform rapid gear exchanges, some race vehicles will use a quick-change rear end, since a quick-change rear end can remain in place within the race vehicle while gear change-out occurs. Thus, multiple gear exchanges can take place over a short period of time in testing, practice, and qualifying sessions, and often, although the gear lube drained prior to each exchange may still be usable, it is discarded and replaced by new gear lube for the safety and convenience of the race crew. Also, when gears are exchanged in the quick-change rear end of a race vehicle, the gear lube remains hot, contrary to the usual practice in transmission gear exchange where the transmission is allowed to cool and where the entire transmission must be removed from a vehicle and dismantled to change out a gear. Trackside safety hazards, including fire, are always a concern in the storage of any new or used fluid, and another consideration is the liberal amount of loose and potentially airborne debris typically found at race tracks, to include a significant amount of debris created by the soft compound racing tires used for improved vehicle traction at speed. In addition, reintroducing hot used gear lube back into a quick-change rear end of a race vehicle is not practical unless it can be accomplished in a safe maimer and without a mess, since at some tracks race teams are subject to fines for dropped fluids.
The present invention addresses all of the above concerns by permitting the orderly and safe collection of used gear lube, its safe and contamination-free storage until gear exchange is complete, and the prompt, efficient, and safe return of still serviceable drain lube back into the quick-change rear end of a race vehicle without a mess through use of a flexible flame-resistant discharge hose, so that the unnecessary waste and environmental burden relating to the premature discard of still serviceable gear lube can be substantially reduced. Motor vehicle racing is a sport that is growing in popularity on both professional and amateur levels. More people are competing, they are competing more often, and many competitors currently maintain multiple race vehicles in order to participate in a variety of racing events and stay competitive. As the sport continues to grow, and with the ever-increasing financial rewards of a win motivating race crews to maximize every competitive advantage, the premature discard of still serviceable fluids, including still usable drain lube from quick-change rear ends, will continue to increase and pose a significant source of waste and unnecessary environmental burden unless a convenient and safe means is found for their recovery and reuse. It is not heretofore known to have a readily portable system or device with a low profile reservoir incorporating a small air chamber separated from a larger fluid chamber by a flexible baffle, and also having a large surface area collection pan and a flexible flame-resistant discharge hose connected to the fluid chamber, that facilitates and expedites the recovery of hot used gear lube in a manner that is safe and convenient for race crew use, and promotes reuse of recovered gear lube when it is still serviceable.
Various devices exist to collect transmission fluid drained from motor vehicles during their maintenance and repair. There are also inventions that simultaneously replenish the transmission with fresh fluid as the old fluid is withdrawn. The inventions thought to be most closely related to the present invention are the inventions used for transmission fluid exchange disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,870 to Courcy (1994) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,474 to Burman (1996). The Courcy and Burman inventions both comprise tank/reservoir structures having two chambers. However, many differences exist between the present invention and the Courcy and Burman inventions. The Courcy and Burman inventions each utilizes a piston between the two chambers in the reservoir. In contrast, the present invention employs a flexible baffle between its smaller air chamber and its larger fluid chamber. In addition, both of the chambers in the Courcy and Burman inventions are configured to hold transmission fluid, one adapted to receive used fluid from a transmission, and the other adapted replenish the same transmission with fresh fluid. In contrast, only one chamber in the present invention is configured to contain gear lube, the other being configured to function as a pressurized air chamber. Also, neither the Courcy nor the Burman invention is adapted for use with hot gear lube, and neither has a contaminant-free area for temporary storage of hot messy gear-lube-covered gears. In contrast, the present invention comprises a large surface area collection pan for the rapid and spill-free recovery of drained gear lube, as well as for providing a safe, temporary storage area for the usually hot messy gear-lube-covered gears changed out of a quick-change rear end. Also, drained gear lube can be safely stored in the present invention for an extended period of time, followed by the rapid and orderly return of the drained lube, when it is still serviceable, to a quick-change rear end. Since the Courcy and the Burman inventions function to simultaneously withdraw and replenish transmission fluid, neither is easily able to temporarily store hot drain lube and then return it to a quick-change rear end after gear change is complete. Therefore, it would be useful and it is not heretofore known to have a compact, heavy-duty, readily portable device for the efficient, prompt, safe, and spill-free return of serviceable drain lube into the quick-change rear end of a race vehicle during testing, practice, and qualifying sessions when ratio gears can be frequently and repeatedly changed-out to determine optimum vehicle performance in advance of a race. No invention is known that has all of the features and advantages of the present invention.
The primary object of this invention is to provide an easily portable means for the neat and orderly collection of fluids drained from motor vehicles, temporary storage of recovered fluid in a protected and contaminant-free environment, followed by the prompt, safe, efficient, and spill-free return of the recovered fluid, when it is still serviceable, to the source from which it was drained for reuse. A further object of this invention is to provide a fluid recovery system that can accommodate hot fluid. It is also an object of this invention to provide a fluid recovery system that can be used for flammable fluid and which protects it from inadvertent sources of ignition. Another object of this invention is to provide a fluid recovery system that by design and construction minimizes fluid spills during collection, storage, and discharge of recovered fluid. It is also an object of this invention to provide a fluid recovery system for trackside use that motivates race crews to recover and reuse still serviceable hot gear lube repeatedly drained from the quick-change rear end of a race vehicle during tack testing and qualifying sessions prior to ratio gear change-out, and thereby cause abandonment of the wasteful and environmentally adverse practice now used of discarding the still serviceable drain lube each time in favor of new gear lube. It is a further object of this invention to provide a fluid recovery system that can be collapsed into a compact configuration for efficient storage. It is also an object of this invention to provide a fluid recovery system that is simple in design, cost effective to manufacture, and allows for neat, easy, consistent, and dependable operator use.
As described herein, properly manufactured and used, the present invention would provide a readily portable and easy-to-use system for collecting hot fluid drained from a motor vehicle, temporarily storing recovered fluid so that it is protected from airborne contaminants and inadvertent sources of ignition, and subsequently returning it in a prompt, safe, efficient, and consistent manner, when it is still serviceable, to the source from which it was drained. The compact design of the present invention with its preferred length, width, and height dimensions creating a total volume of less than one cubic foot, the low profile shape of its reservoir, and the large, easily gripped handles attached to the reservoir, all enhance its portability and ease of use. Also, the stainless steel materials, from which it is preferably made, give the present invention the solid, heavy-duty construction that make it particularly suitable for use with hot fluid and promote its ability to protect flammable fluid stored in its reservoir from inadvertent sources of ignition. A flame-resistant flexible discharge hose, as well as the removable cover configured for fitting securely over the upper open end of the collection pan to help keep the inside collection surface free from airborne contaminants, also assist in protecting recovered fluid from inadvertent sources of ignition. The collection pan cover similarly protects hot gear-lube-covered gears removed from a quick-change rear end when they are placed on its fluid collection surface for temporary storage and cooling. The low profile configuration and solid construction of the present invention make it particularly suited for easy and prompt positioning under the quick-change rear end of a race vehicle with little or no adjustment, when the present invention is used for the recovery and temporary storage of still serviceable gear lube and its return to the quick-change rear end after gear change-out. Although not critical, it is preferred that the collection pan is configured to be detachable from the reservoir for compact storage of the present invention between uses. The large size of the reservoir as compared to the collection pan, the flattened configuration of the reservoir, and the approximate centering of the fluid collection pan above the air and fluid chambers, also help to provide a low center of gravity for stable fluid collection and storage, with a low risk of inadvertent tipping and fluid spills caused by casual contact with the collection pan or reservoir. Also, the reservoir is reduced in height at its discharge end, further adding to its design stability. In addition, the inside collection surface of the collection pan, having a preferred surface area slightly less than one square foot, is sufficiently large to gather drained fluid such as gear lube without spills and overflow, yet it is also sufficiently small to allow convenient transport of the present invention and easy positioning under a motor vehicle for efficient fluid recovery. The inside collection surface of the collection pan slopes downwardly in all directions toward a centrally located screen-covered hole that leads to a fluid transfer pipe connecting the collection pan with the fluid chamber. The sloping surface provides a slight incline to enhance the speed of fluid movement into the fluid chamber after collection, the screen being used to prevent the entry of any object into the fluid chamber that could impede flow of recovered fluid through the discharge hose. A flexible baffle fixed within the reservoir defines two chambers, a smaller air chamber and an adjacent larger fluid chamber. The baffle extends the full width and height of the reservoir and flexes to facilitate prompt flow of recovered fluid from the fluid chamber and into the flame-resistant discharge hose for neat and orderly delivery of the recovered fluid to a targeted location, such as the return of still serviceable drain lube to the quick-change rear end of a race vehicle without a mess. It is contemplated for the air chamber to be pre-charged with compressed air prior to system use. End supports attached to the opposite ends of the reservoir protect the reservoir from direct impact with other objects during transport and positioning under a motor vehicle, and also provide a means for secure handle connection. An air relief valve and a vent valve are connected through the air chamber, in addition to the air inlet valve needed to pressurize the air chamber with compressed air, and provide an additional measure of safety during operator use. A mounting plate attached to the upper surface of the reservoir, spanning both the air and fluid chambers, improves the connection between the valves and the air chamber, as well as the connection between a fluid receiving tube and the upper surface of the fluid chamber, the distal end of the fluid receiving tube being used for connection with the distal end of the fluid transfer pipe on the collection pan.
An example of present invention use would be to recover still serviceable gear lube drained from the quick-change rear end of a race vehicle, safely store it until gear exchange was complete, and then efficiently return the serviceable drain lube to the quick-change rear end without a mess. To accomplish this an operator would connect the collection pan to the fluid chamber, in a position above it, and also connect the flexible flame-resistant discharge hose to the female threaded discharge opening in the end of the fluid chamber remote from the baffle. The fluid intake valve that regulates fluid flow between the collection pan to the fluid chamber would be adjusted to block fluid flow. Also prior to use, the operator would pre-pressurize the air chamber to approximately 60 pounds per square inch with compressed air. The assembled invention would then be placed under a race vehicle""s quick-change rear end, whereafter gear lube in the quick-change rear end would be drained onto the inside collection surface of the collection pan without splashing or spills. For safe storage of the drain lube until gear change is complete, the fluid intake valve would be opened and the drain lube would be gravity-fed into fluid chamber. When substantially all of the drained lube has been transferred into the fluid chamber, the fluid intake valve would be closed and the collection pan cover placed securely over the upper open end of the collection pan to temporarily seal the inside collection surface and the recovered drain lube against airborne contaminants, as well as protect the recovered drain lube from inadvertent sources of ignition. During transfer of the drain lube from the collection pan to the fluid chamber, the distal end of the flame-resistant discharge hose should be elevated to a height greater than that of the fluid level in the reservoir, or otherwise positioned so as to block premature flow of drain lube from the distal end. When the recovered gear lube is needed for return to the quick-change rear end, the fluid intake valve between the collection pan and the fluid chamber would be opened and the cover on the collection pan would at least be partially removed, whereby the pre-pressurized air chamber would then cause the baffle between the fluid chamber and the air chamber to flex and assist in the movement of the recovered drain fluid through the flexible discharge hose, and into the quick-change rear end. Care should be taken when removing the collection pan cover any time hot drain lube is transferred to the fluid chamber, and particularly when hot gears are stored in the collection pan, as heat is transferred from the hot drain lube and the hot ratio gears to the present invention and can make the cover and other parts of the present invention very hot to touch. When the drain lube is no longer usable, the discharge hose can alternatively direct it to a targeted disposal receptacle without a mess. After use of the present invention is complete, the collection pan can be separated from the reservoir for cleaning and/or to create a more compact configuration for storage.
The description herein provides preferred embodiments of the present invention but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the fluid recovery system. For example, variations can occur in the configuration and type of material optionally used to construct the handle for the collection pan cover; the number of lid handles used; the overall configuration and dimension of the collection pan and the reservoir as long as the resulting system remains low in profile, readily portable, and able to resist tipping from casual contact during use; the capacity of the fluid chamber as long as the system remains easily portable; the configuration and positioning of the handles attached to the reservoir; the size and positioning of discharge opening in the end of the fluid chamber remote from the baffle; the depth of the collection pan; and the material from which the screen in the collecting surface of the collection pan is made, as well as the mesh size and configuration of the openings in the screen, and the means by which the screen is attached to the collection pan, other than those shown and described herein, may be incorporated into the present invention. Thus the scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than being limited to the examples given.